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The Grapevine (8/12/16): Feed Him More

Good morning, and this is your daily Grapevine! This section of Smark Henry is where we round up all the founded and unfounded rumors abound the pro wrestling scene that you may have missed over the evening.

The Wrestler Formerly Known As Ryback may be headed somewhere big:

Ryback is apparently in talks with NJPW. The two sides are interested in a deal, especially with the success of Michael Elgin among the Japanese wrestling crowd, and now it's all a matter of settling on price and dates. Meanwhile, he's taking a full schedule of indie dates under the name "The Big Guy." (Source: WON)

We say: First of all, we think it's great Ryan Reeves is getting a shot at NJPW. We think his style is an easy fit there, and the workhorses of Japan would definitely be able to get a good match out of him. We're not too hot about using the name "The Big Guy," though. Names like the Big Show are a product of their time, and are now sui generis if you're prestigious enough for your bland-ass '90s wrestling name to be grandfathered as such. What's wrong with Ryan Reeves, in a world full of John Cenas and Randy Ortons?

Vince McMahon has apparently been absent from TV tapings lately. He's been missing the past two weeks of TV, and won't be in next week as well, but he will be at SummerSlam in Brooklyn. He's missed TV back in late June as well. No reason has been given yet for these absences, but it's reported that as always, he's still micromanaging everything from wherever he is. (Source: WON)

We say: It sounds as though Vince has some sort of illness that someone in the WWE is covering up because they want to protect his image of being the ultimate working man, but it's okay to tell people he's sick, if he really is sick.